POPULAR North shopping centres and universities are being used as meeting places for gay men, according to claims made on a sexually explicit website.

Some of the region’s best-known locations including the MetroCentre, Newcastle’s Monument Mall and Durham’s Prince Bishops Shopping Centre are listed as regular trysting grounds for gays.

The website suggests gay cruisers are also prevalent at North universities . . . where thousands of young people have just arrived for Freshers’ week.

Newcastle, Northumbria, Durham and Sunderland universities are prime sites for gay sex, it is alleged.

Northumbria University has vowed to “monitor the situation closely” as a result of the claims.

A spokesperson said: “We are surprised to hear this is happening as the toilets are checked regularly.”

The website — www.squirt.org — placed Newcastle University’s two libraries sixth and seventh in a league table of 35 gay sex hotspots.

However, a spokesperson said: “This has come as a surprise as neither library is open to the public and we have not received any reports or complaints about this type of activity. We wonder whether the website postings are a student prank.”

A Durham University spokesman said: “We have seen no evidence of such practices. Furthermore, the university library is not a public building.”

And a spokesperson for the University of Sunderland said: “We are unaware of any such actions and have not received complaints. We will of course increase vigilance as the well-being of staff and students is paramount.”

Northumbria University’s listing points would-be cottagers to a toilet near the main reception.

Andrew Gilliver, communications manager for The Lesbian and Gay Foundation, insisted there was no danger to the public from cottaging.